The Explanation of the Pauli Exclusion Principle

Michela Massimi

James Carl Ayoub

Think in waves, not particles.

E. U. Condon, J. E. Mack

Sergio Bartalucci, S. Bertolucci, M. Bragadireanu +18 more

The Pauli exclusion principle (PEP) is one of the basic principles of modern physics and, even if there are no compelling reasons to doubt its validity, it is still debated today because an intuitive, elementary explanation is still missing, and because of its unique stand among the basic symmetries of physics. A new limit on the probability that PEP is violated by electrons, was estabilished by the VIP (VIolation of the Pauli exclusion principle) Collaboration. The obtained value 12β2 < 4.5 × 10−28 is an improvement of about two orders of magnitude of the previous existing limit.

Catalina Curceanu, Sergio Bartalucci, S. Bertolucci +20 more

The Pauli exclusion principle (PEP) represents one of the basic principles of the modern physics. Even if there are no compelling reasons to doubt its validity, it still spurs a lively debate, because an intuitive, elementary explanation is still missing, and because of its unique stand among the basic symmetries of physics. A new limit on the probability that PEP is violated by electrons was estabilished by the VIP (VIolation of the Pauli exclusion principle) Collaboration, using the method of searching for PEP forbidden atomic transitions in copper. The preliminary value, ½ β 2 <6 × 10 -29 , represents an improvement of more than two orders of magnitude of the previous limit. The goal of VIP is to push this limit at the level of 10 -30 .

Earle H. Kennard